“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – John Wooden

Isn’t that the story of all of our lives, MS or not? Well, at least it’s a part of my everyday struggle. Especially when it seemingly becomes easier to list the things I can’t do. But once again my friends, perception is everything. Sometimes we have to tweak our assessment in order to move on in these never ending new normals of ours.

I have learned the lesson of embracing what is. Not to resist it simply because it is already done. Quite frankly I have fought with every new symptom that has come my way. At first, I was fortunate enough to only require a cane. At the time, I thought it was a death sentence. I’d rather trip and fall instead of using that dreaded cane. Now that I need to use a scooter, I long for those days of canes and walkers. I wish I had enjoyed it while I could. The transition probably would have been a lot less stressful.

Now several years into this new normal, I’m stillriding the wave I mentioned last week. It’s unfortunate that I can’t live like the able-bodied. But the fact is I’m not. Sometimes I resent that and sometimes I’m okay with it. It just depends.

But what I will not allow is for my restricted status including the fatigue, limited mobility and memory loss to get in the way of what I can do! Because if I do then MS is winning and we can’t have that.

Thank you for sharing, Nicole! Thank everyone for sharing. For me the new nrmal after living with M.S. for many years, has become a new community of understanding friends who understand the struggles of this doseae because they are struggling too.

It is like you were in my head! The other day I said to my husband that I hated using a walker with every fiber of my being! Well, now that I must use a wheelchair I dream about only needing a walker! Thank you for sharing!

Saw that my friend had copied the same youtube “gallop” from you so took the liberty of looking at your site (hope you do not mind and that she does not mind) but YOU are an inspiration. I too have been living with this for over 11 years diagnosed but knew I had it long before that. I agree uphill battle and I try every day to find it in me as to what I can do as to what I can’t do. Loved your quote of the day and again I find you an inspiration.

I think with each change we undergo, and there are so many, we have to stop, reassess, and move forward. Yes, there will be grief at each loss, and we need to mourn what we can no longer do. But we can’t allow ourselves to stay there. To do so brings on depression, and we lose the ability to grow. I, too, often think about what I used to be able to accomplish. Then I look at where I am now. I should have appreciated my past so much more!
Peace,
Muff

My Latin teacher in high-school told me “You’re a good enough athlete and smart enough to be good at what ever you put your mind to accomplish, but I don’t know that you will be the best at the highest levels.” When I relate this, many people only hear the last part. They miss the “I think you can be good at anything” part. The first part is what I took to heart thinking I better not make the anything be “good fry cook at McDonalds.”

It was the looking at everything while thinking about her words which lead me to my decision. If I can’t be the best at the highest levels, I can still try to be good at something exceptional. It’s this logic which made me embrace my now wife’s dream of fostering medically fragile kids when she told me about her life’s dream on our first date.

Embrace what we can do. It has the power to be exceptional whether it is raising children or writing encouragement for those of us who need it or…

I Started out after going blind on one Eye to fall a lot and used a Cane for several Months. The Eye did not stop me from Driving my Car although it was sometimes difficult. After 5 Month with th Cane I had a Major Exasturbation and lost my entire Body, Bladder Function and needed to be Catherterized. I went into the Wheelchair, at first I surrendered to it but after a Week got tired of it and Bit and clawed my Way out of it. PT several Times a Day, OT twice a Day. I learned how to get in and out of the Tub again and Bath myself. Learned to feed myself and then started walking again with a Walker. After 2 Weeks intense PT i was able to walk 4oo FT on my own again and have improved eversince. Off course i did have Solumedrol Injections and Cortico- Steroid Infusions for 3 Weeks . Basically what i wanna say is this: don’t give up and fight back with all you got…..:)

If only the new normals would stop and hang around for a bit. I’m glad I found your blog – there is so much out there that people are sharing including our new normals and we can learn from each other.